The contents of Hollywood Hill Elementary General Music Curriculum are based on The National Standards for Music Education:
Singing, alone and with others, a varied repertoire of music.
Playing on instruments, alone and with others, a varied repertoire of music.
Improvising melodies, variations, and accompaniments.
Composing and arranging music within specified guidelines.
Reading and notating music.
Listening to, analyzing, and describing music.
Evaluating music and performances.
Understanding music in relation to the other arts and other academic disciplines.
Understanding music in relation to history and culture.
A typical music lesson with Ms. Lin is to learn musical concepts through moving, singing, playing instruments, playing games, and listening to music.
First Grade - Students learn the difference between beat vs. rhythm and among three voices (whispering, speaking, and singing). Students continue to work on keeping steady beat, and creating 4-beat rhythm by recognizing the values of quarter note, eighth note, and quarter rest. Students play boomwhackers, rhythm sticks and barred instruments to a steady beat to accompany the music or their singing. We also talk about the idea of phrase, a "musical sentence".
Second Grade - Students review the rhythms and melodic fragments So-Mi-La by singing songs and playing games. They are introduced to half note & half rest and melodic note "Do". The idea of musical phrase now has extended to a musical form - ABA.
Third Grade - Students continue to reinforce skills and concepts learned in Grades One and Two. The sixteenth-note is a new note for them to learn and show they understand by recognizing the sixteenth notes visually and aurally in the songs. Melodically, students learn a melody can move repeatedly, and up/down by step or skip. We are also working on pieces in preparation for canon/round, using body percussion and speech as well to get used to the idea of "two or more groups do the same thing but start at different times." The third graders begin to work on their improvisational skill by creating rhythmic patterns with body percussion in a "question-answer" form.
Fourth Grade - In the beginning of the year, students have an opportunity to try on string instruments (violin, viola and cello). Students learn to read the notes on treble clef and then on a new instrument: the recorder. Students learn how to play the B, A, and G notes on the recorder so far and work through "Yellow Belt" from the Recorder Karate packet. The new rhythmic pattern for fourth grade is the syncopation. We learn several songs with syncopated rhythm in them. Students show they understand by recognizing it visually and aurally.
Fifth Grade - In the fall, students have the World Music Drumming Unit. Students learn to create complement rhythms and work on a drumming ensemble project within small group settings. They also perform to each other in class. They are also introduced to both string and woodwind family instruments and had hands-on opportunity! Student have a chance to explore recorder family instruments, ukulele, and marimbas. Students are also learning some music theory to enhance their knowledge leading towards their final culminating project.